Syndication Ratings: Entertainment Magazines Reap Ratings Rewards

Entertainment magazines twerked their way to the top in the week ending Sept. 1, with coverage of Miley Cyrus' scandalous performance on MTV's Video Music Awards and the split between Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas after 13 years of marriage.

Most other syndies were in repeats during the week, which included most of the long Labor Day weekend.

Every magazine grew from the prior week except Twentieth's Dish Nation, which was even at a 0.9 live plus same day household ratings average, according to Nielsen Media Research.

CBS Television Distribution's Entertainment Tonight added 6% from the prior week to a 3.4. In second place, CTD's Inside Edition improved 4% to a 2.7. Warner Bros.' TMZ climbed 5% to a 2.0. NBCUniversal's Access Hollywood had the largest weekly increase of any magazine, gaining 13% to a 1.7, its highest rating in nine weeks. Access also clocked the second-biggest yearly improvement in the category growing 6%. Warner Bros.' Extra jumped 7% for the week to a 1.5, the show's best ratings in 12 weeks and scored the largest yearly improvement among the magazines, advancing 7%. CTD's omg! Insider climbed 8% to a 1.3.

In daytime, only three of the 14 veteran talk shows improved from the prior session: NBCU's Maury, which added 5% to a third-place 2.0; NBCU's Jerry Springer, which perked up 8% to a 1.3; and CTD's The Doctors, which rallied 10% to a 1.1.

CTD's talk leader, Dr. Phil, in reruns for the week, dropped 11% to a still first-place 2.4.

Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams weakened 10% to a 0.9. NBCU's Trisha Goddard was even at a 0.4, while Meredith's The Better Show trailed the field at a flat 0.2.

Among court shows, CTD's Judge Judy inched up 2% from the previous week to a 6.3, making it the top first-run show for the 18th week in a row. Warner Bros.' People's Court sank 6% to a 1.6. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis was unchanged at a 1.4. Twentieth's Judge Alex and Divorce Court each added 9% to a 1.2. Entertainment Studios' America's Court and Justice for All both were flat at a 0.6 and 0.4, respectively, while ES' We the People increased 50% to a 0.3 from a 0.2.

CTD's Wheel of Fortune rolled to a first-place 5.9, up 4% for the week. CTD's Jeopardy!, which had dropped for five consecutive weeks, reversed the downtrend with a 4% increase to a 5.1. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud faded 4% to a 4.3. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to be a Millionaire was unchanged at a 2.3, while NBCU's Baggage closed up 10% to a 1.1.

Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory led the off-net sitcoms, tying CTD's Judge Judy at the top of the overall charts with a steady 6.3. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men slid 7% to a 4.0. Twentieth's Family Guy gained 6% to a 3.6. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother moved 4% lower to a 2.3. Twentieth's King of the Hill declined 4% to a 2.2. SPT's Seinfeld spurted 5% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.' Friends fell 9% to a 2.0. CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond remained at a 1.8 for the seventh straight week.